[mgmAZCO]

mgm, there's only so much you can do when lobbies and parking access for CityScape's towers gobble up the ground floor. It is one of the many reasons high-rises are typically antithetical to thriving street scenes. Besides, it is functional, but doesn't have the form urbanists want.

To me, it's kind of a throw back to the "nanogrid" of sorts a hundred years ago when the alleys between the blocks downtown were actually named and had businesses and residences off them.

I guess it comes down to what you think the 'function' of the development is, specifically the retail portion. My belief was that it's supposed to be a gathering place for residents, as well as retail destination. When you create a plaza that's cut off from the street in three directions, and have a retail area that can't be viewed or accessed easily then it doesn't quite work to its full potential (If you're standing on 1st and Jefferson you'd have no idea that a whole retail/shopping/restaurant/plaza is running through the area). Again, a missed opportunity in design. I think the form AND function leave a lot to be desired. Like I mentioned, there are some things that they did well and I'm not trying to gang up on the place, but certainly it could have been so much more...with just a little bit of additional effort. Just a difference of opinon, which we're all entitled to.